ISLAMABAD: Foreign Minister Khawaja Asif on Thursday said that the United States had failed in Afghanistan after deploying its forces for over 16 years and a political solution was needed.

He was briefing the National Assembly’s Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs.

“Pakistan wants to have ties with the US based on self-respect and dignity; the country would not compromise on its sovereignty and dignity,” the foreign minister said.

He said Pakistan had clearly told the US that it would not be a scapegoat in Afghan war, adding that the US was clearly apprised that the country was not responsible for its sheer defeat.

About his recent tours of four countries concerning the revised US policy towards the region, Asif said that the all four friendly countries backed Pakistan’s stance towards the US.

“All these countries had also expressed reservations about the new US policy,” the finance minister said. “Pakistan has also extended its consultation with Saudi Arabia regarding the US policy,” he added. He said all these countries have advised Pakistan to hold talks with the US.

Moreover, he said the parliamentary resolutions also sent a strong message to the US.

He said that Pakistan desired peace in Afghanistan and was making efforts, but a large portion of the restive nation is controlled by the Islamic State. “Daesh is in control of forty-five percent of Afghanistan,” he stated.

Khawaja Asif said that US had failed against the Afghan Taliban, but was not willing to admit its mistakes over his policy which had yielded no results since the last sixteen years. “We have informed them that those leading are the one who have lost the war,” he said. “Those who have failed will never develop a policy to admit their shortcomings.”

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